Guardian Doll
by Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Summary: It's just a tiny doll, right? Oh, but to Tony, it's so, so much more. SteveXTony, gay men, mention of torture


**Warning:** Yaoi/boy-on-boy  
**Pairings:** Stony/Superhusbands/TonyXSteve, RhodeyXPepper  
**Story:** As Tony ages over time, there's one thing that is a constant for him, something that keeps him attached to this world, something that gives him hope. A little, tiny, doll.  
**Disclaimer: **All Characters (c) Marvel/Disney

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Tony was four when they found the super-soldier buried in the ice. He had come to live with Tony and his parents in the large mansion, taking the room next to Tony's because the little boy sometimes had nightmares, and it seemed only Captain America could soothe them. Steve would chuckle when the tiny genius would crawl into bed with him, and curl his arms around the small form, whispering soothing words as the four year old fell asleep in his arms.

Tony was five when his mother had given him the little doll, a plush, tiny version of Captain America. He had jumped with joy, hugging the little toy close to his heart, promising his mother he would take the absolute best care of him. He called the little doll Cap, since he couldn't very well call him Steve. And while the toy was no substitute for the real, living, breathing thing, it kept his nightmares at bay and left him with a smile on his face as he slept.

Tony was six when Steve and his father had had The Fight. His mother had held him tight at the top of the stairs as his beloved guardian and distant father argued over him. He held Cap tight, trying to hold back his tears as he listened to his father's oldest friendship wither and die thanks to him.

"You don't spend any time at home, you're constantly working, you weren't even here for Tony's birthday last month!"

"I sent him some new tools and materials, what's wrong with that?!"

"He's your son, Howard, you're supposed to be the one teaching him all these things! For god's sake, I see him more and I'm gone at least once a week to work!"

"Oh, so suddenly your work is more important than mine?!"

"Well, seeing as how I'm the one defeating the bad guys out there, yeah, it is!"

"I brought in a new era of technology that you still can't understand!"

"I understand it a lot better thanks to Tony! He lets me sit with him while he plays! I know more about him than you do!"

Tony was seven when Steve and his father's friendship fell through completely. Howard kicked Steve out. Tony sobbed, not afraid of the tears this time, clinging onto the soldier as he begged him not to leave, not to go, or to at least take Tony with him. Steve gave him a watery smile, leaning down to pull the young boy to him, holding the genius tightly as he cried. He assured him, he would always be here, he promised.

So when Steve went missing when Tony was eight, he could only hold tightly to Cap and pray that his beloved guardian would come back to him. And so, while he waited, Tony threw himself into his inventions, creating an AI known as JARVIS, something he had made with Steve in mind. He would be able to ask JARVIS to do anything he didn't understand. The AI kept him and Cap company while his father was gone for work and his mother began drinking.

On his ninth birthday, Tony ran away from home with Cap and JARVIS. He took up lodging in Steve's still waiting house, moving all his stuff in while his mother and father obliviously waited for him at that fancy restaurant they _always_ had his birthday at. Tony felt it was useless without Steve there to celebrate with him. So, he had done the next best thing: moved in to wait for his guardian to get home. Because Tony would always be there to welcome him home.

Tony was ten when Cap had his arms ripped off by a malfunctioning new machine. He had wanted to cry, holding the doll tightly to his chest. It was the nice older couple who had adopted him as a grandson in the past year that helped him. They had come by the modest-looking house, updated by Tony, and found their charge with teary eyes and a wobbling lower lip, holding his precious Cap close.

"Come here, Sweetie. I think I can fix him up, good as new."

Tony had stared at the old woman with untrusting eyes, nervous.

"You'll give him back... right?"

She had smiled and nodded, leading Tony back to their house and letting him tinker with the heater while she gently sewed Cap's arms back on. She smiled as Tony proudly announced he made the heater work better, or at least waste less energy, and softly handed Cap back to the young boy. Tony grinned and held Cap to his heart, as if he had just been given the world. And to Tony... he had.

When Tony was eleven, he went to school every day. He didn't really want to, but Steve had always told him that education was really important... So he entered High School as a freshman, avoiding the bullies easily with his small frame and intellect. He aggravated the teachers when he would correct them, piss off his male classmates when the girls would gather around him, saying how cute he was, and consistently won awards as just a freshman.

Tony was twelve when the bullies got their hands on Cap, taunting him as he begged for his beloved doll back. The girls gathered around him, demanding their classmates give the desperate young boy Cap back. Instead, they pulled Cap's head off and then tossed the two parts back to Tony. He had scrambled forward, gathering the torn doll in his arms and sprinting to his Granny and Pappy's home. The old woman opened the door to see her charge sobbing, holding Cap in his quivering arms.

"Oh, Tony!"

She quickly ushered him in, getting tissues and a cup of tea for the shaking boy. She held her wrinkled hands out for Cap, Tony slowly giving her his most precious possession.

"You'll give him back... right?"

"Always."

She had then sat beside Tony, her husband coming home to see the boy curled in his wife's lap, the exhausting day finally taking its toll on him. He had smiled, walking over to pat brunette hair fondly and kiss his wife hello.

Tony woke up to have the doll placed in his hands. He hugged Cap close, almost sobbing with relief. He stopped taking his protector to school after that. He ended up getting bullied only more.

When he was thirteen when he exited his sophomore year and entered his junior year. The beginning of his junior year left him at the head of his class, and further and further distancing himself from human connection. JARVIS was his only intelligent company, apart from his mother who regularly visited him. Tony had decorated Steve's house, updating everything as the world changed. Cap slept with Tony every night, helped him make his meals, stayed up with him when he lost himself in his inventions, smiled at him when Tony felt nothing but hopeless... And his Granny always helped fix up any tear or loose stitch Tony came running to her about.

Tony's fourteenth year was uneventful, he applied to college on his father's orders, was preparing at graduate high school, getting reprimanded for talking down to his classmates... All through this, Tony held Cap at night and softly cried.

Tony was fifteen and had just graduated high school when he realized what he felt for Steve was no longer admiration and brotherly affection. He realized that, in some way, he had always been head over heels in love with the super soldier. He was in love with Steve Rogers, a man who had gone missing years ago and whose home he lived in and kept tidy, desperately hoping one day he would come home.

At the age of twenty one, Tony inherited his father's company, named CEO barely a day after he had gotten the news his parents were dead. Needless to say, he wasn't pleased. But his father's secretary became his, and he promoted Miss Potts so she could take care of his work. They ended up becoming friends, the girl becoming someone close to Tony, allowed into Steve's house any time she wanted. She only asked about his doll once, and after Tony's look, she made sure to never ask again. Tony liked that about her, they could understand each other without speaking. They became as close as siblings, Pepper eventually introducing him to her boyfriend, James Rhodes, who became Tony's best friend.

Tony was twenty three when they found him. Captain America, having been tortured for over a decade, was a shell of his former self. But when he returned home, to see Tony standing in the doorway, hands clasped in front of him, dancing on the balls of his feet, nervous smile wobbling as the brunette chewed on his lip...

The hero dropped his bag, nearly falling forward to pull Tony close to him, sobbing into his shoulder as he held the shorter man tightly to him. Tony was stunned into silence for merely a moment, before returning the tight embrace and burying his face into Steve's shoulder. Oh, how he had missed this man... This man with the haunted eyes that looked like he had only aged a year, this man that Tony had been in love with since he was four years old. This man... He was Tony's everything.

He didn't know he, in turn, was Steve's entire world.

Tony was twenty three and four months when the nightmares began. Steve would wake up shaking in the middle of the night, screaming in terror as memories haunted him. Tony, having already been awake in his workshop, was up the stairs and busting open his guardian's door to see the man shaking and holding his head tightly.

"Steve, Steve," Tony murmured softly, gently, as he pulled the super soldier to him, encasing the big man in his slim arms. "It's okay, you're home, you're with me, it's all over."

Steve eventually calmed down, and finally confided in Tony all that had happened. It made Tony gag. So... the young man had left the room, promising to only be a moment, and came back within the minute holding a battered looking doll. Steve smiled, confused at the little toy.

Tony slid back on the bed, resting his head against Steve's shoulder, the bigger man's arm immediately curling his arm around Tony, pulling him closer. The brunette held the doll between them, fingers stroking soft fabric.

"You still have him," Steve murmured, reaching out to touch the mini replica of him. "I... I didn't know you would keep him."

"You disappeared," Tony's voice was wobbling, unshed tears clear in his unsteady words. "Cap was the only thing that got me through most nights, he's been with me through everything. Like you would have been." Tony turned his eyes up to look at the blond, eyes hoping, wanting.

"Oh, Tony," Steve's voice was soft, taking on the same cadence as Tony's. "I will always, always, be her e for you. No matter what happens, no matter who tries to take me from you, I will always be here."

Tony was twenty five when they finally kissed. They began sleeping in the same bed, holding hands as they went outside, happily leaning against each other, losing their virginity to their other half, planning for the future, holding each other tightly... Tony created a mechanical suit, taking up the hero mantel with his lover. They fought over it, until Steve realized Tony was scared to near death whenever Steve went out there to fight. So, they fought together, becoming a well known perfect duo. SHIELD recruited them, and they joined the Avengers Initiative. Tony and Steve built a clean energy skyscraper, the whole team moved in, Pepper and Rhodey got married... Over the years everything changed, everything evolved, and so did they.

Tony was thirty-three when he handed two dolls to two pairs of small hands. Steve watched on, eyes watering as he watched his husband with their twins. Tony stepped back into Steve's arms, the two watching as the twin boy and girl giggled in delight at their new dolls.

Two small, soft dolls, each with a ring sewed on their left ring finger, tiny mouths smiling. The little girl clutched her Captain America doll tight to her chest, while her brother played with his Ironman doll.

And finally, finally, Cap could rest from his place on the mantle of their fireplace.

His job was done.

Tony was finally happy.

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**A/N:** Based on this adorable picture I saw earlier and now have no idea where it went... yup, that's me. I'm weird like that.

Hope ya'll like it!


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